Elsa's Little Snowflake
by Rootastic
Summary: Elsa meets the man of her dreams. First fanfic, please be kind. Reviews are always nice! Rated T just in case... Chapter 14: Kristoff reveals his past. The past comes back in the form of revenge.
1. Chapter 1

It had been three months since he came to visit Arendelle. From the first moment they locked eyes, Elsa knew this was the man for her. This villager, with his jet black hair and puppy-dog brown eyes had officially taken her heart. His name was Darren. Although he was just a simple mercenary, there was something about him that struck Elsa. He was pure, kind-hearted, a true gentleman, intelligent, and so much more. And now three months later, here he was in the palace courtyard., proclaiming his love to Elsa.

"Elsa, I know we're just starting to get to know each other, but I truly feel there's a strong connection between us. And although I planned on returning home, I now know that I want to stay here. With you." Elsa looked away and blushed. Of course she wanted him to stay, but she didn't want to hold Darren back. He had a life back at the Kingdom of Crede.

"Darren, I feel the same way about you, too... But you have a life back in Crede. I can't possibly hold you back. I would love for this to work, but I don't want you to lose your job or miss out on your family."

"No, Elsa. _You're _my new life. You wouldn't be holding me back. I would do anything for you, Elsa. For you, a thousand times over. And you know very well that my family has been trying to get me to move on to the next chapter of my life. Elsa, I love you." At these words, Elsa started to open her mouth and argue back. She wasn't going to let Darren leave his life for her. But before she could say anything, Darren leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. Elsa returned the favor with a passionate kiss. "Elsa, I know you're concerned, but trust me. This is what I want to do." Darren gave Elsa a reassuring hug and pulled her close before kissing her on the head.


	2. Chapter 2

"You _what?_" Elsa couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I... Maybe it's better if I showed you." Darren stepped away and faced away from Elsa. He slowly raised his arms into the air. Then, he brought his arms down quickly and the air around him moved outward violently. He proceeded to stare down the neighboring statue in the courtyard. The statue floated up into the air and then gently floated back down. When Darren finished his display, he turned back around and searched Elsa's eyes for some sort of response... Reaction... Anything.

"Please say something," Darren begged. Nothing. They stood in silence for what seemed like and eternity. Darren waited expectantly. Two more minutes had passed and finally something was said.

"Why... Why didn't you tell me before?" There was a quiver in Elsa's voice.

"I wasn't sure how you would take it, love," Darren spoke softly.

"What am I supposed to say? We've known each other for four months now and you're just now telling me that you have the power to control the air around you and have telekinetic powers?!" Elsa continued to vent,"Why didn't you tell me? Why? Didn't you trust me?"

"I did I jus-"

"What? You thought that I would be scared? I have_ ice _powers, Darren." Elsa ran her hand through her hair. She was too caught up in the moment to notice she had just pointed out the obvious.

"I'm well aware you have ice powers, love," Darren pointed out. Elsa looked down, ashamed that she just snapped at Darren like that.

"I'm sorry. That was out of line for me."

Darren laughed," it's ok, dear. I know how big of a shock it probably is for you."

"it's just so surreal."

"I know." Darren looked into Elsa's eyes and found they were filled with sadness. "Is something wrong? Something I said?"

"No, I just... Thinking," Elsa reached out for Darren's hand.

Chuckling, Darren teased,"my love, there is nothing wrong with thinking."

Elsa gave Darren her infamous mischievous smirk. The smirk soon faded and she replied,"I meant I was just thinking... About us." Darren was slightly confused at these words.

"what about us?"

"we both have powers... What would that mean? For my people? For Arendelle? Or if things continue..." Elsa paused, then continued,"... Our family?"

Darren had no idea Elsa ever thought about their future like that. At the mention of a family together, an uneasy feeling came over Darren. He wasn't scared of having a family with Elsa. He loved Elsa. It wasn't as if he never thought about it. He actually thought about it quite frequently. But this new point Elsa brought on made him realize what could happen. Darren knew Elsa had a fear of passing on her ice powers to her children. Now that he showed her his powers, she was probably more afraid now.

_oh no, what have I done?_

No. He had to be strong right now. For Elsa.

"Elsa, I know you're scared of what will happen in the future... I am, too. I have no idea what will happen. But I do know that we have each other and I'm here for you. I promise I will never leave your side." Darren pulled Elsa close to his side and kissed her forehead gently. Elsa buried her head into his chest and sobbed. Darren held her tightly and lowered his head on top of Elsa's. All he wanted was to take away Elsa's pain.


	3. Chapter 3

"So," Anna started saying with a mouthful of chocolate,"Is Darren doing anything special for you on your one year anniversary tonight?"

"Well, now that you've mentioned it, he hasn't mentioned anything," replied Elsa, trying to hide the disappointment.

"Well, it's not like you... mffph... This is good chocolate, are you sure you don't want any?"

Elsa grinned and secretly wished she could be as care-free as Anna was. "No, I'm good."

"Woah, this must be serious. You've never turned down chocolate before."

"What were you saying before?" Getting Anna back on track was a struggle sometimes.

"What? Oh yeah! Well, it's not like you can't plan anything for him. You are the queen, you know." Anna flashed Elsa a playful look.

_Everything is going according to plan_. Darren had spent months planning the perfect anniversary for Elsa and him. Anna was asked to keep Elsa busy the whole day so he could carry out the plan. Tonight was going to be extra special: Darren was going to propose. Of course, he got Anna's permission first. Permission from family always comes first.

_She's going to love the ring._

"Anna?"

Anna was too busy thinking about what would happen tonight to notice that Elsa had just asked her what she should do for Darren on their anniversary.

"Huh? Oh... You know what, Elsa? Forget what I said before. I think we should have a sister day!"

Elsa was slightly confused. "A sister day?"

"Yeah! Ever since you met Darren, we haven't really gotten to spend much time together..." Anna immediately went into acting mode and tried out her best puppy dog pout.

Elsa shook her head and giggled. "That's because whenever I'm free, you're always with Kristoff," Elsa teased.

"What am I supposed to do? He's my husband! I'm kinda stuck with him," Anna said with a certain slyness in her voice.

"So, remind me what he's doing again?"

"Oh, he and Sven went out to make some deliveries in the next kingdom. You're the one who gave him the job, shouldn't you know this?" There was a slight cheekiness in Anna's tone.

Elsa rolled her eyes,"I don't keep track of what Kristoff does. That's your job." Elsa glanced at Anna to make sure she knew she was joking. Anna just gave her a silly smile, cheeks filled with chocolate.

"I think you should go easy on the chocolate there, Anna," warned Elsa. "After all, we do have a sister day today."

Anna gulped the last bit of chocolate and her eyes widened. "Wait, really?"

Elsa laughed at how quickly Anna re-adjusted herself. "Yes, really. Now, what should we do? Walk around the kingdom... Ice skate..." Elsa made sure to pause in between each option until...

"Build a snowman?" Anna asked eagerly. Just the response Elsa wanted.

* * *

"Ok, I think we've got everything. Thanks for helping me with the plans, Kristoff." Darren shook Kristoff's hand. The two men had been going around the kingdom next to Arendelle gathering all the essential items for tonight.

"Yeah, no problem. 'Ol Sven here needed a workout, anyway. So, you're sure you wanna go through with this? The royal women of Arendelle can be quite a handful sometimes," laughed Kristoff. There was nothing false about his statement. But for Anna, he was willing to go through anything for her.

"Definitely. Elsa's the one for me," confirmed Darren.

"What about the whole powers thing? How's that gonna work out?" At this point, the whole family and the kingdom knew about Darren's powers and they all accepted him. After all, he did make quite the impression on the queen. And he did show that he was responsible for his own actions.

"I figure we'll cross that bridge when we get there. There's no true rush to have a family just yet. For a while, I just want to get to know Elsa some more and enjoy time with her. Then, one day when we're both ready, I imagine we'll have children," Darren smiled at this thought. "Have you and Anna thought about having kids yet?"

"Well I mean eventually, yeah. I mean I'll do it when Anna wants me to..." Kristoff realized what he just said and stammered,"I mean when Anna's ready I'll be ready I guess. I mean..."

Darren laughed at how uncomfortable this subject made Kristoff. "It's alright, Kristoff. I know what you mean. We should probably head back to Arendelle if we want to get there in time." Both men climbed into the sled and made their way to Arendelle.

* * *

"It's perfect!" Anna was satisfied with the snowman she and Elsa built. They had spent the whole day in the ballroom making forts, having snowball fights, and building snowmen. The sisters were soon joined by Olaf.

"Hey! That's a pretty good looking snowman!" Olaf inspected the snowman and gave it a hug. Anna and Elsa smiled at the sweet moment. Suddenly, Kai, the palace servant came in the ballroom.

"Your majesty, Darren is here to see you." Kai bowed respectfully.

Elsa gave Anna a look of uncertainty. "Go, go! I'll be ok!" Anna tried holding back her excitement.

Darren was outside the ballroom waiting for Elsa. "You look beautiful, Elsa."

Elsa's face turned a shade of pink. "Thank you, Darren."

"Ready?"

Elsa was confused, but Darren lead her by the arm and around the corner was a lovely dinner table with an elegant candelabra in the center.

"Darren, what's all this?" Curiosity got the best of Elsa.

"Happy one year anniversary, my dear," Darren said as he pulled out a chair for Elsa to sit in. An hour had passed and already, Elsa and Darren had discussed a lot. Then, an ominous silence fell upon the room. Darren cleared his throat, ready to speak.

"Elsa, there's something I would like to talk to you about tonight," Darren said in a serious tone.

Elsa was worried. _Is he alright? What's going on?_ Elsa tried her best strong voice,"W-What is it, Darren?"

Darren walked over to Elsa's side of the table. "Elsa, I know we've only known each other for a year, but I feel as though I've known you for a lifetime. I know that I still have a lot to learn about you..." At these words, Darren bent down on one knee.

_Oh my gosh, he's proposing!_

"I want to spend the rest of my life learning more about you. I hope you feel the same way. The truth is, I don't know what I wold do without you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Elsa. Would you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?" Darren looked up at Elsa, shooting those adorable puppy dog brown eyes.

_He's so amazing... And those eyes are simply adorable. I love everything about him. Of course I'll say yes, but..._

Elsa was unaware any time had passed at all.

Darren gave a nervous laugh,"... Elsa?"

"I... I can't." Elsa ran off in the direction of her room.

"Hey, did you do it yet?" Anna was eager to know what had happened.

"... Yeah..." Darren was shocked at what just happened.

"Well, what'd she say? Where's Elsa?" Kristoff asked.

"She... Ran away..." Darren looked down. He didn't know what to think.

"_What?_" Anna had no idea what happened, but she was determined to find out. "You guys stay here, I'll go talk to her. There has to be a good explanation for this." Anna ran to Elsa's room.

Darren and Kristoff were left in the hall, stunned.

_I thought she loved me._

* * *

**Ok, guys. Please don't hate me but I had to put in a cliff hanger or else you wouldn't have anything to look forward to in the next chapter ;)**

**- Rootastic**


	4. Chapter 4

"Elsa?" Anna knocked in an all too familiar fashion. "What happened? Do you wanna talk about it?" Silence on the other side of the door. Anna tried the doorknob. It was ice cold.

_Oh no, she's frozen the room._

Anna, genuinely worried, started furiously pounding on the door. "Elsa, please! Just open the door for me!" she was frantic at this point. "Please." Anna faced her back toward the door and slowly slid down to the ground. Suddenly, the door opened. Anna quickly turned her head around and saw Elsa standing there. Eye's pink and puffy from crying.

"Elsa!" Anna quickly stood up and hugged Elsa. "I thought you shut me out again." Elsa looked into her sister's eyes and started crying into Anna's shoulder.

"Elsa, what happened? Why did you run away?" More sobbing. Anna walked Elsa into the bedroom and they sat down on the bed. A few moments passed.

"So, do you wanna talk about it?"

"I just... I love Darren, I really do. That's why I couldn't marry him," Elsa confessed.

"Wait, you didn't want to marry him because you love him?" Anna was puzzled by this. Then joked,"Well in that case, I married Kristoff for all the wrong reasons." Elsa didn't say anything.

"Yeesh, tough crowd," Anna mumbled to herself.

"I mean, I just didn't want to risk hurting him. I don't want to hurt anyone, you know that."

"Yeah...?" Anna wanted to get more out of Elsa.

"And if we did get married, we would eventually have children and..." Elsa started choking up,"Anna, what if they have my powers? Or what if they have his powers?"

Anna laid a reassuring hand on Elsa's shoulder. "Elsa, I think you'd make a wonderful mom. Even if they have your powers, you'll be there to teach them to use their powers responsibly. And Darren would never leave your side. He seems like a dedicated guy. Elsa, you should hear the way he talks about you. Sometimes I even wish he'd stop blabbering on about you." Anna laughed and soon Elsa started to laugh, too.

"Thank you, Anna." Elsa looked down at the ground, still deep in thought.

Anna noticed Elsa's look of worry was still on her face. "Are you okay? Is there something else you wanna talk about?"

"How will Darren ever forgive me?" Elsa imagined that Darren would be furious with her.

Anna gave a reassuring smile. "I'm sure he already has, Elsa." Anna gave a small gesture. Darren had been patiently waiting outside in the hall for quite some time, along with Kristoff. Elsa looked up from the ground and saw Darren. She jumped to her feet and ran to her prince.

"Oh, Darren, I'm so sorry."

Darren smiled gently. "It's ok, Elsa. I know why you're afraid of marrying me. But we can work this out together. I've told you that since day one." He looked into Elsa's topaz blue eyes. "I'm not leaving. Ever. No matter what happens." For the second time that night, Darren bent down on one knee.

"So, Elsa. Will you do me the honor of marrying me, my queen?" Darren grinned with confidence.

Elsa gave him a warm smile,"I would love to." Darren put the diamond ring on Elsa's finger. That ring cost him almost seven months of his salary. But he couldn't let Elsa know that. Not now. He knew that if he told her that, she'd try to pay it off for him. Darren would never let his queen pay for a gift he wanted to give her. Elsa and Darren engaged in a long romantic kiss.

"Hey, guys! What's going on? I haven't seen you since we built that snowma-" Olaf paused at the sight of Elsa and Darren kissing. "Wooaaahhh."

"Oh, Olaf!" Elsa broke the kiss and started giggling. Darren soon joined in the laughter and pretty soon, everyone in the room started laughing. The laughter was cut short when Anna keeled over in pain.

"Anna!" Everyone immediately rushed to her side.

"I'm alright, really. I just... Feel a little sick." Anna didn't know what was going on. She was usually very healthy and strong, but at this moment, she suddenly felt very weak and nauseous. Maybe it was the chocolate?

_No, I've always eaten that much chocolate and it's never given me much trouble before. Maybe there's a new bug going around..._

Suddenly, Anna's world was transformed into a world of darkness. She heard faint voices calling her name.

"Get the village doctor," Elsa ordered Darren. Darren quickly obliged.

* * *

"Wh- Where am I?" Anna said weakly.

Kristoff gave her a warm smile. "Hey, you're awake." He kissed her on the forehead.

"Kristoff? What happened?" Anna still felt a little queasy.

"Uhh... Well, you see..." Kristoff started.

The doctor stepped in. "Ah, princess Anna. Congratulations."

"W-What?"

The doctor continued,"If all things go well, we might see a new little prince or princess running around the castle."

"Wait, am I..? Are we...?" Anna was a little discombobulated from passing out earlier.

"Anna... We're going to have a baby," Kristoff jumped to the point. Anna couldn't believe what she just heard.

_Me? A mother?_

"How did I pass out?" Anna couldn't put two and two together

"Some new mothers experience extreme nausea and dizzyness in the early trimesters. Don't worry, they should go away after a month or two," informed the doctor.

"Where's Elsa? I need to talk to her. Right now," demanded Anna. She tried pulling herself out of bed.

"Woah, woah, Ms. Feistypants. I'll get Elsa for you. You just stay here and rest," offered Kristoff. A few moments later, he returned with Elsa by her side.

"I think we'll give you two some privacy." The doctor gestured Kristoff and they walked out of the room.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Elsa's tone was gentle and soothing.

"Elsa, I can't do this. I can't be a mother. I don't know the first thing about being a mom. I... I'm just a kid myself. How can I? How can Kristoff and I take care of a _baby_? I can't do this, Elsa. I can't-" Anna started panicking.

"Hey, hey. Shh. It's going to be alright." Elsa brought Anna's head up to her shoulder and tried comforting Anna the best she could. Elsa looked into Anna's eyes. "You're going to be a wonderful mother. I'm sure your child will love you. He or she will be very lucky to have you as a mother. And I'm always here to help you. You are my sister, after all."

Anna gave a pathetic laugh. "Funny how we were just talking about motherhood for you and now it's on me."

Elsa put on a polite smile. "You'll be great. Don't worry about it too much, ok?" Anna's worried looks faded away.

"Now, we need to decide on a dress for you for the wedding!" Elsa quickly changed the topic, hoping to get Anna's mind off of the recent news.

Anna snickered,"Oh please, like there's any dress out there that is flattering on a pregnant woman."

Elsa raised one eyebrow and smiled. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll be able to find one."

* * *

**So I finished my homework early so I decided to write out this chapter. Hope you guys liked it!**

**-Rootastic**


	5. Chapter 5

Four months had passed since Darren proposed to Elsa and today was the big day. Elsa was getting ready in her room getting ready while Darren was his room at the other side of the palace. A temporary placement, of course. Elsa gazed into the mirror and sighed.

_This is it, Elsa. The big day. _

Elsa closed her eyes and imagined walking down the aisle with Darren waiting for her at the end. She wondered how Darren was coming along with his preparations. The thought of Darren in a classy tuxedo was driving her crazy. She herself was wearing an ivory white wedding gown, specially made by the village's best tailor. Her dress had various blue swirls at the bottom which faded about half-way up the dress to represent her ice powers.

_I can't believe this is all happening._

"Elsa?" Anna came into the room, still not in her bridesmaid's dress. She was seven months pregnant now but looked as though she would pop any moment.

"Anna, why aren't you dressed yet?" Elsa was careful to use a gentle tone. Anna had been pretty moody lately, with the hormones and all. One little thing and Anna could go off like a bomb.

"Oh, well I wanted to check on you, first."

_How does she always manage to think of others first?_

"Plus, this little peanut wouldn't stop kicking and he was driving me nuts," Anna confessed. Yes, the newest addition to the family would be a little prince. But Anna and Kristoff still hadn't picked out a name for the baby yet. Elsa stifled a laugh at her sister's sincerity.

"Well, we better get you in that dress soon. The wedding's in an hour."

"Alright, Elsa. I'll go get dressed. Sheesh." Anna tried her best to storm out of the room, but all she could really manage was a waddle. Elsa snickered.

_My dear nephew, this will be your mother in a couple of months._

* * *

"How's my hair? Is my bow tie straight? What about my collar?" Darren wanted to look his best for Elsa today.

"Darren, relax. You look great. I'm sure Elsa will be impressed," assured Kristoff. Kristoff's attire was basically the same as a classic suit, except instead of a suit jacket, he wore a suit vest, which showed off his muscular arms. Kristoff wasn't too fond of it, but Anna insisted he wear it.

_"Honey, I think you look handsome in that vest."_

_Oh, Anna. I'll definitely get you back for this._

A mischievous smile crawled across Kristoff's face.

"It's just... I can't believe that this is actually happening. In my wildest dreams, I never thought I'd be this lucky." This snapped Kristoff out of his personal thoughts.

"Yeah, funny how things work out like that, huh?" Kristoff slapped Darren on the back. "Stay here, I'm gonna go check the time."

Kristoff went to an old grandfather clock in the castle, which was fairly close to Darren's room. The clock read 3:40.

_Oh no, the wedding starts in twenty minutes, I better get Darren._

Kristoff hurried back to Darren's room but quickly got distracted once he saw Anna across the hall in her bridesmaid's dress looking out the window.

_She looks gorgeous... Well, if Anna's still out here, I guess we still have some time._

Kristoff snuck up behind Anna and grabbed her around her waist. Anna gave a yelp of surprise.

"Kristoff!" Anna giggled. Kristoff kissed Anna on the neck.

"You look so beautiful." Kristoff continued lightly kissing Anna's neck. This was driving Anna crazy and he knew it. Anna gave a light moan.

"Kristoff!" Anna couldn't stop giggling with delight. Kristoff didn't stop. "Kristoff, honestly!" Anna felt a kick in her stomach. "The little scamp." Kristoff paused from his teasing.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. The baby's just been kicking all day, that's all." Anna looked down at her bulging stomach. Anna turned to face Kristoff. "Can you believe we're going to be parents soon?" No, Kristoff couldn't believe it. But he figured he was ready. It was bound to happen anyway. Kristoff gently put his hands on Anna's stomach then put his ear up against her rotund belly. Anna smiled.

"Our baby. Wow. _Our _baby." Kristoff marveled at the thought of a little boy with both his and Anna's traits running around the palace. He softly kissed Anna's stomach and rose up to full height again. Anna gave him a shy smile.

"You are my everything, Anna. And pretty soon this baby will be, too. I love you." Kristoff kissed Anna on the forehead. Suddenly, he remembered why he was out in the hallway. "Oh no! I need to tell Darren to hurry up! The wedding's in..." Kristoff glanced at the grandfather clock. "Five minutes!" Kristoff ran toward Darren's room, but not before kissing Anna once more.

"Darren! We have five minutes!" Kristoff shouted, even though he was in the same room as Darren.

Darren quickly looked up. "What? Oh, but I still haven't fully rehearsed the toast speech yet!"

"Don't worry about it! Come on, we gotta beat Elsa to the aisle! Here, put this blindfold on." It was customary that the groom wouldn't see the bride before the wedding, after all. And with that, the men raced to get to the chapel. Luckily, it was only a few blocks away.

* * *

The wedding song started to play. Elsa's cue to walk in. She was not aware of how rushed Darren and Kristoff were to get to the chapel on time. Elsa's sight was slightly limited, due to the veil over her face.

_Good thing the carpet's red or else I'm not sure how I'd make it. No wonder brides always look at the ground when walking down the aisle._

Darren waited at the alter, admiring Elsa's beauty, taking it all in.

_I must be the luckiest man in the world. She looks absolutely ravishing. _

After the vows were said, the minister finally granted permission to kiss the bride. Darren, of course was happy to oblige. He carefully lifted Elsa's veil, which revealed the beautiful face he had waited all day to see and they both shared a loving kiss. The audience roared in approval.

* * *

"You know you don't have to do this." Elsa was laughing uncontrollably.

"Are you kidding me? I've been waiting the whole day to do this." Darren was carrying Elsa to the bed. _Their _bed now. Darren laid Elsa on the bed delicately, as if she were made of china. Elsa giggled some more. Darren was going to have some fun with this.

_I'll give you a tease, my queen. It'll drive you insane._

Darren went to the other side of the bed and laid down on his side. He carefully caressed Elsa's hair and gingerly kissed her nose. Strategically, he placed his arm on the other side of Elsa's body and stared into Elsa's eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes. If he looked too long, he would get lost in them for hours. Darren shot her a look of dominance. This drove Elsa to the brink of madness. And Darren knew it. His eyes softened and he quickly pressed his lips onto Elsa's forehead and turned over to face the other side.

"Goodnight!" Elsa couldn't see the sly smirk on his face. Elsa was left frustrated and disappointed. Exactly how Darren planned to leave her for tonight.

_Not yet, Elsa. First we have to play it my way._

Elsa huffed out a breath of frustration and faced away from Darren.

_Two can play at this game, mister._

* * *

**Ha. Bet you didn't see that chapter coming. I actually wasn't planning to go this far into intimate stuff for my first fanfic, but it just seemed kind of appropriate, you know? Don't worry, I think that's the farthest I'll go. I had to change the rating from K+ to T and I don't plan on changing it to M. Only because I'm only planning on having a few chapters like this one. Anyway, hope you liked it! The next update might not be until Thursday or Friday. I'll be pretty busy for the rest of the school week.**

**- Rootastic**


	6. Chapter 6

It was 3:00 in the afternoon Kristoff nervously paced outside in the hall. Anna was in labor and Kristoff was worried.

_I can't believe it's happening. I'm going to be a dad. I don't think I'll ever feel ready._

Kristoff suddenly felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. It was Elsa. She was accompanied by Darren. Elsa gave Kristoff a reassuring smile.

"You've been waiting out here for almost four hours. Why don't you rest for a while? I can take it from here and come get you when the baby arrives," offered Elsa.

Kristoff shook his head. "Thanks for the offer, Elsa. But I rather stay here for Anna."

"I understand." Elsa sat down on the arm bench by the window.

"Do you need anything, dear?" Darren asked.

"Maybe a hot chocolate," answered Elsa.

"Coming right up!" Darren left the hall and headed toward the palace kitchen.

Elsa motioned for Kristoff to join her on the bench.

"So, are you nervous?" Elsa tried initiating conversation.

Kristoff gave a nervous laugh. "A little." He lied. He was more than a little nervous. He wondered how Anna was holding up.

_Poor, Anna. She's probably in extreme pain right now and I can't even be there to help._

Then, Kristoff buried his face in his hands as his arms rested on his knees.

"Elsa, what if I fail? As a father? For Pete's sake, I can't even go in there and take away Anna's pain. She probably hates me right now," confessed Kristoff.

Elsa tried to stifle a laugh at his ridiculous commentary.

_Kristoff, you know Anna loves you to death._

"Kristoff, I'm sure you'll be a fantastic father." Elsa put her hand on his shoulder, her eyes gentle. "And, I seriously doubt Anna would ever hate you." Elsa chuckled.

Kristoff looked up at Elsa and gave her a slightly annoyed look. "Well, I know, but I just… You know… I… She… I guess…"

"You'll be alright. And I'm always here to help."

At that moment, one of the nurses hurriedly came toward Elsa. There was blood up to her sleeves.

"Your majesty, may I speak with you? " The nurse saw the worry on Kristoff's face. "… In private?"

Elsa's eyes soon turned deeply concerned. "Uh, yes. Of course." Elsa looked back at Kristoff and tried to put on a brave face.

_I'm sure it's nothing… I'm sure Anna's okay. Yes, she'll be alright._

"Is everything alright?" Elsa asked with slight hesitation.

The nurse shook her head. "Your majesty, I'm afraid that princess Anna has lost a lot of blood. She's very weak. We will be able to deliver the baby safely, but we're not entirely sure Anna will make it through the night. We will have to monitor her carefully."

Fear flashed in Elsa's eyes. Everything suddenly seemed heavy. She would have completely fallen if Darren hadn't come running to catch her just in time.

"Elsa! What happened?" Darren was so concerned; he had dropped the mug of hot chocolate on the ground while running to catch Elsa. The nurse went back to the delivering room.

"Anna… Might not make it…" Elsa turned toward Darren. "Darren, Anna might not make the night. The nurse said she lost a lot of blood… I… I can't lose her, Darren. Not again." Darren brought Elsa close and tried comforting her.

"Anna's strong. I'm sure she'll make it." But honestly, Darren wasn't so sure himself.

_Poor Kristoff. He must feel awful right now._

"Wait, does Kristoff know about this?"

Elsa let herself go from the hug and shook her head no. Darren felt Kristoff had a right to know. Then again, he didn't want to worry Kristoff. By the time Darren looked back at the bench, Kristoff was gone.

"Is… Is Anna alright?" Kristoff was behind Darren and startled him.

"Listen, Kristoff…" Darren started.

The doctor appeared out in the hall and was carrying a bundle of… something with him. Wait a minute…

He cleared his throat. "Mr. Bjorgman, would you like to meet your son?"

Kristoff's eyes suddenly lit up. "Y-yes!" The doctor tenderly put handed the bundle to Kristoff. Kristoff looked at the little baby. _His_ baby. His and Anna's baby. This conglomerate of both Anna and Kristoff. As Kristoff looked at the tiny child's face, his paternal instincts came in. He was willing to do anything for his child. He only wanted the best for the baby.

_We haven't even named him yet… Anna wanted… Anna!_

Getting back on track, Kristoff panicked. "How's Anna?"

Elsa walked over to Kristoff. "They need to monitor her over-night. She's very weak right now."

"Can I see her? I need to know she's alright!" Kristoff tried running into the delivery room but Darren stopped him. It was for his own good.

* * *

It had been three hours since the doctor handed Kristoff the baby. The newborn was taken by the nurses so they could ensure his health. Standard procedure, of course. Elsa looked out the window, lost in deep thought.

_Anna, please be okay._

Kristoff was still pacing the hallway and Darren sat with his back against the wall. Darren knew that at a time like this, it was best to just leave Elsa in her thoughts.

The door of the delivery room opened and the doctor walked out. He looked exhausted.

"Princess Anna is in a stable condition as of now. Queen Elsa, if you wish, you may see Princess Anna briefly."

Elsa nodded and walked in the delivery room with the doctor.

"I'm her husband! Why wasn't I invited in?" Kristoff rarely pouted, but he was genuinely frustrated at this point.

"Relax, Kristoff. They'll let you in soon. Besides, I think they just want to keep it between family for now," assured Darren.

Kristoff looked down at the ground. He felt guilty for Anna's current condition.

_I'm so sorry, Anna._

* * *

When Elsa walked in the delivery room, she was shocked to see how pale and weak Anna looked. She hadn't seen Anna like this since the Incident. Anna was laying on the bed and had her eyes closed; although it was evident she wasn't sleeping. Her breathing was labored and her face was beaded with sweat, even though there was a cloth dipped in water on her forehead in attempt to keep her cool. Elsa felt absolutely terrible seeing Anna like this.

_She looks like death… _

Elsa cautiously approached Anna's bedside.

Anna's eyes slowly opened, as if it was a struggle to get enough energy to lift them. This was probably true, considering what Anna had been through today.

"E-Elsa?" Anna's voice was hoarse.

Elsa put a hand on Anna's head. "Hey, Anna." A soft smile appeared on Elsa's face. She tried desperately to hide her fear. The last thing Anna needed was to worry about Elsa. However, it seemed that Elsa needed to work harder on her poker face, because Anna could see right through her.

"Elsa, are you ok?" Anna was concerned.

"Yes… You gave us quite the scare today," Elsa shared.

"How's the baby? How's Kristoff? Did Kristoff name the baby yet?" Even though she was weak, she still had a million questions to ask Elsa.

"The baby is doing fine. Kristoff is a little anxious. He really wants to see you but the doctor won't let him in yet. And no, he was waiting for you to name the baby. Any ideas?" Elsa figured she would ask for Kristoff since it was unlikely he would be able to see her tonight.

Anna shut her eyes for a moment then nodded her head. "… Joseph. Joey for short."

"I'll be sure to run it by Kristoff. Why Joey?"

A smile crept on Anna's face. "I figure every mama kangaroo needs her own Joey."

Elsa was slightly confused. She was about to ask Anna when the doctor came in and Elsa was asked to leave the room. Elsa stepped out of the room and suddenly two pairs of eager eyes were on her.

"Well, what did Anna say?" Kristoff demanded an answer.

"Is she going to be ok?" Darren asked.

Elsa spoke, "Anna is very weak, but I have a feeling she will make a nice recovery. And Kristoff, Anna said she would like to name the baby Joseph. Joey for short. She said something about every kangaroo mother needs a Joey?"

Kristoff grinned. "We had joked around that Anna would be like a kangaroo mother, keeping her baby joey with her at all times and keeping him protected."

Elsa smiled.

_Of course Anna would say something like that._

"Well, Kristoff. If you agree with the name, I believe we need to make the baby's name official."

"Oh, of course! Yes. I think Joseph is a great name for our son."

"Now that that's settled, let's go see the newest member of our family, Prince Joseph of Arendelle."

* * *

**Heyo! So yeah, surprise! I really wasn't planning on updating the story today but I just couldn't resist! Now that the story is progressing, I'm wondering if the T rating is really necessary. I think there will only be one or two more chapters like the last one. I'm not exactly sure. What do you guys think?**

** -Rootastic**


	7. Chapter 7

It had been four months since Joseph had been born. Joey was a healthy baby and Anna had regained her strength back. Anna and Kristoff were fairly lucky to have a quiet baby. The first month or so, Joseph would fuss at night, as any baby would. But as time progressed, Joey settled in better and now rarely cried at night. It was Joseph's bed time and Anna and Kristoff stayed awhile to make sure Joey would sleep well and to take a moment to admire him. Joey's hair was starting to come in. Blonde. Just like Kristoff's. His facial features were more like Anna's, though. Against all odds, Joey was born with blue eyes like Anna's. His button nose also came from Anna. There was one trait that baby Joey didn't get from Anna: Freckles. But Anna didn't really care. It was too soon to tell whose facial structure he had inherited.

"He's beautiful," Kristoff said as he kissed Anna on the head.

Anna leaned her head on Kristoff's shoulder and smiled. "Couldn't have done it without you, daddy."

_I like that._

Kristoff smirked. Anna traced circles delicately on Kristoff's chest with her finger.

_She knows what she's doing. Game on, Anna._

Just as Kristoff was about to make his move, Anna ran out of the room, looking back at Kristoff and shot him a seductive look. Kristoff ran after Anna and shut the nursery's door behind him.

* * *

Elsa was in the palace library relaxing and reading a book, hot chocolate on the small table next to the couch. Suddenly, the mug floated into mid-air. Elsa saw this out of the corner of her eye. It could only mean one thing.

Without looking behind her, Elsa said in a teasing tone, "Nice of you to join, Darren."

Darren came up from behind started gently kissing Elsa's neck. Elsa shut her book and gave out a moan. She was a sucker for neck kisses.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be taking care of trading business with Crede today," Elsa questioned.

After they married, Darren was put in charge of Arendelle's business and trade. Because Darren had such a good reputation back home, he cut an exclusive deal with the Kingdom of Crede. Arendelle had become frequent trade partners with Crede.

Darren continued kissing Elsa. "Mm it's lunchtime and I'm suddenly hungry."

Darren picked Elsa up from the couch and carried her inside their bedroom.

Darren towered over Elsa in bed, but made sure not to touch her just yet.

_I'm going to make you beg._

As he slowly unbuttoned his pants, he was unaware Elsa had the same plans. After all, she still had to get him back from what happened the night of their wedding.

_Not this time, Darren._

As Darren was going in for a kiss, Elsa slid out from under him.

"E-Elsa?" Darren wasn't sure how he felt about Elsa's newfound dominance. Elsa smirked, put one hand on his chest.

"Shirt off. Now."

Darren followed orders. His pants were still on, halfway unbuttoned. Elsa gave him a light push, forcing him to lie down on the bed. She ran her fingers over his six-pack. Darren closed his eyes and groaned. He felt a pair of warm lips on his lower stomach, close to his v-line but not quite there yet.

_I like this Elsa. Queen Elsa, take me right now._

Elsa had other plans. All of a sudden, she stopped everything.

"What are you doing?" Darren was desperate.

"Payback." Elsa left the room.

_I will get you, Elsa. I'll make you scream._

* * *

Meanwhile in Anna in Kristoff's room, the two had just finished up. Kristoff sat up on the bed while Anna laid her head on his bare chest. Kristoff kissed Anna's forehead.

"I love you. You were great." Kristoff gave a sigh of content.

Anna lifted her head and kissed Kristoff on the lips. "You know it."

The couple drifted off to sleep together.

* * *

Darren was unsatisfied and started searching the palace for Elsa. Elsa knew this and purposely avoided him. She was going to have some fun with this.

_I'm not letting you find me until I want you to._

"Elsa? Baby, please." Darren was begging for more.

Elsa was around the corner and a mischievous smile found its way across her face.

_Not yet, Darren._

Thirty minutes had gone by and Darren grew more and more desperate as more time passed. He couldn't take it anymore. He was driven to the brink of madness.

"Alright, Elsa. I give up. You win."

Just the words Elsa wanted to hear.

"Alright, big boy. You want more? Come with me." Elsa gestured Darren to follow her.

That night was filled with passionate love.

* * *

"Good morning!" Anna was her usual cheery self. Kristoff soon followed carrying Joey with him and kissed Anna her lovingly.

"Morning, Anna." Elsa then flashed a sly smile at Darren.

Neither couple was aware of last night's events.

* * *

**Sorry the chapter was kind of short today. I usually have a lot of homework on Thursday nights so I guess you'll just have to get used to that, sorry. Anyway, so yeah... I'll post chapter 8 tomorrow so look out for that. Thanks for being such an awesome audience! **

**- Rootastic**


	8. Chapter 8

Joey's laughter filled the kitchen at breakfast. Now seven months old, he had found the joy of playing with his food and utensils.

"No, sweetie. Don't throw the spoon." Anna tried to get Joey to stop throwing the spoon across the room. Anna would rather feed him herself, but Kristoff insisted that he had to learn on his own (that's what all the parenting books said. He figured they couldn't all be wrong). Anna let out a sigh of frustration. Kristoff helped ease the frustration with a kiss on the cheek.

"Morning, guys," Darren said as he walked in the room.

"Morning. Where's Elsa?" Anna asked distractedly as most of her attention was on Joey.

"She's not feeling well this morning. Said she felt nauseous." Darren sat down at the table as one of the servants brought him a bowl of porridge.

"Hmmmm…" Suddenly a moment of realization hit Anna. "Wait… Darren, what did you do to her?"

"M-me? What are you talking about?" Darren had no idea where Anna was going with this.

Anna smirked. "I think we both know what you did, Darren."

Kristoff looked up from his paper. "Wait, Anna. You're not implying that…"

"Nausea is usually the first sign. That's what happened to me."

"You fainted…" Kristoff recalled.

Anna rolled her eyes. "Yes, but I fainted _after _feeling nauseous."

"Are you saying Elsa's… Pregnant?" It wasn't that Darren was normally slow; he was just too shocked to process it at the moment.

Anna shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe she's just sick. But I have a feeling we'll need to get the village doctor to make a stop soon."

_A baby? Are Elsa and I even ready for that yet? I wanted kids, but I don't know if I want them that soon… We've only been married for a year._

* * *

Darren waited anxiously outside the bedroom. The village doctor was asked to come to the palace and check on Elsa. An hour had passed but it felt like five. Finally, the doctor opened the door. He smiled at Darren.

"Congratulations, King Darren," the doctor said.

"Please, Darren is just fine." Darren wasn't used to the title of king and wanted to use it sparingly, only for business deals and such.

"Of course, it's too early to tell if it's a boy or a girl, but you have my blessing. However, I do have some words of caution. Because of her slim body figure, it's wise that she does not move much in the first few months or the baby may be at risk."

"Yes, of course, doctor. Thank you." Darren nodded in respect and the doctor walked away.

Darren headed inside the bedroom and saw Elsa lying on her side, facing away from the door. He sat down next to Elsa and kissed her on the head.

"Hey, Els…" Darren carefully brushed the hair out of her face, revealing a pair of worried eyes. Almost terrified. Darren knew right away what she was thinking of.

"Hey, we'll be okay. I'm here, alright? You don't have to be afraid," coaxed Darren. Darren put his other arm on the other side of Elsa's body, but she quickly refuted the action and took his arm off of her.

"Elsa…"

"No, Darren." Elsa tried her best using a strong voice, but Darren could tell she was hurt.

"Elsa, if this is about the power thing, we've gone over thi-"

"NO, Darren." At these words, Elsa sat up on the bed and faced Darren. Her eyes were filled with pain, frustration, anger, worry, and something else that Darren had never seen before in Elsa's moods.

"Bab-"

"Don't 'baby' me, Darren."

Darren never saw this side of Elsa before. Secretly, his heart was bleeding at Elsa's pain. He mustered up all his strength.

Trying to keep a calm tone, Darren stated, "Elsa, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong." Elsa looked away and didn't say anything. Darren was starting to lose his cool, something that rarely happened.

"Elsa, I just want to help! Why do you keep pushing me away? We're _married_. Whatever you're going through, I'm going to go through with you. I'm not going to let you go through anything alone! You know that!" Darren stopped, realizing he could have hurt Elsa's feelings. But he was so frustrated. "…. Don't you know that?"

Darren noticed Elsa holding back tears and brought her close to him.

"You know I'd do anything for you, Elsa. I love you." He kissed her gently on her head.

"I love you, too," Elsa whispered back.

"We're in this together. No matter what." Darren held Elsa tight.

Elsa finally spoke again. "The doctor told me the baby's at risk."

Darren sighed. Part of him was relieved Elsa was actually talking to him again. Another part of him knew how worried Elsa must be. "I know. He told me, too. But if you just stay in bed, it'll all work out."

Elsa pressed her head against Darren's chest. "I don't know how I could ever live with myself if I lost this one." Elsa put a hand over her stomach.

"Don't worry, we won't," Darren assured.

_I'll do whatever it takes to keep you and our baby safe. I promise._

"You should get some rest. I'll go get you something to eat." Darren tucked Elsa back in bed and stepped out of the room.

_I'm so lucky to have a man like Darren._

* * *

News of the Queen's pregnancy quickly spread throughout the palace and, pretty soon, the whole kingdom. Eventually, the news even spread to the Kingdom of Crede. And Darren's family. Darren was in the bedroom talking to Elsa when Kai knocked on the door.

"King Darren!"

Darren groaned, "Kai, I told you, you can just call me Darren."

"Darren! There is a group of people outside the palace looking for you. They say they are your family?"

Darren jumped off the bed.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Elsa's voice was tender.

"Nothing, dear. I'll be back soon." Darren left the room with Kai.

* * *

The door to the palace was opened.

"DARREN!" smiles appeared on everyone's face in the huddled group.

A short and slightly plump woman ran up and hugged Darren.

"Dear me! Oh, how have you been? We hadn't heard from you ever since you met Elsa! You write, but it's just not the same!"

Darren chuckled, "Hi, ma. Look, it's good to see you all, but Elsa kind of needs her rest right now an-"

"Nonsense! I want to meet my beautiful daughter-in-law!" Darren's mother pushed past him and the rest of his family soon followed. Darren ran after the crowd.

"Woah, hang on! Ma, there's something I need to tell you…"

"What? That she's pregnant? Dear, everyone knows that already. Trust me." The stoutly woman kept pushing on.

"No, Ma…. Elsa really needs her rest. The doctor said that the baby might be at risk if she moves around too much." Darren sighed. He knew nothing was going to stop his mother from seeing Elsa today. "Look, Ma. I'll let you see Elsa. But I think it's best if the rest of the family stays in the main room. I can have the servants bring them hot Glogg."

"Well… Alright." They had reached the palace stairs. The short woman shooed the family away.

"So, where's my daughter-in-law?" Darren's mom said with slight impatience.

Darren laughed. "She's right up this way."

* * *

Darren knocked on the bedroom door. "Elsa?"

A muffled "come in" was heard through the door.

Darren opened the door and his mother sprinted inside.

"Oh, Darren! You never told me she was THIS beautiful!" She hugged Elsa tightly. "I sure hope you appreciate what you have, son."

Elsa looked to Darren for some help. Darren couldn't help but laugh. "Elsa, this is my mom. Ma, this is Elsa."

"Oh, I know, I know. Now, let me take a good look at you, dearie." The woman pushed Elsa away at a distance so she could get a better look at her. She gave a friendly smile and put her hand on Elsa's.

"It's so nice to finally get to meet you. I've heard a lot about you in Darren's letters."

Elsa looked at Darren, raised an eyebrow, and gave him one of her why-am-I-not-surprised smiles. Darren smiled nervously and shrugged.

"It's nice to meet you, too." Elsa gave a half-smile.

Darren's mother talked for ages. About him, about his family, about everything, really. Elsa seemed to really enjoy hearing all the stories. It wasn't until 9 at night when she finally agreed to leave, but not before promising to come back again once the baby was born.

* * *

"That was quite a day," Darren commented while slipping into bed next to Elsa. He put an arm around her.

Elsa giggled. "Yes, it was. I learned new things about you I never knew before."

Darren's face grew red with embarrassment.

_He's so cute when he's embarrassed._

* * *

Elsa was now five months along and her baby bump was more noticeable now. She wasn't confined to bed rest 24-7 now, but she was still restricted to walking short distances just as exercise. This particular morning, Elsa was sitting up in bed reading a book, enjoying the quiet. Darren went to take care of some business matters. There was a very distinct knock at the door. Elsa knew who exactly who it was.

_Anna_

Elsa looked up from her book. "Come in, Anna."

Anna skipped in the room. "Hey, sis. Just checking up on you." Anna almost tripped on the way to the bed.

Elsa shook her head and laughed. "How's Joey and Kristoff?"

"They're fine. Having some father-son bonding time." Anna grinned.

"And by that you mean Kristoff's trying to make words out of the building blocks while Joey tries knocking the blocks down?" Elsa chuckled.

Anna couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, that's exactly what I mean."

_Anna's extra cheeky today._

Even though Anna was a mother, she didn't let that stop her from being her cheery and childlike self. Especially around Elsa.

"How are you? You feeling okay?"

"I'm fine. I was a little nauseous earlier this morning but I'm feeling a lot better now. Thank you." Elsa gave an appreciative smile.

Anna laid her head down on Elsa's stomach and was quiet.

_For once, she's actually quiet._

Elsa laughed to herself.

"Wow, there's a life in there," Anna commented.

Elsa snickered, "I should hope so."

Someone pounded the door. There was crying outside.

"Anna! Joey won't stop fussing!" Kristoff yelled from the other side of the door.

Anna sighed. Elsa laughed. "Go. I'll be ok."

Anna said a quick goodbye and left the room, taking Joey in her arms desperately trying to calm him down.

* * *

Around 8 in the evening, Darren came back. He entered the room and noticed Elsa was asleep. He tried his best not to wake her. Unfortunately, Elsa was a light sleeper and even the smallest of noises could wake her.

"Darren?" Elsa rolled over to the other side. Her voice was soft and almost a whisper.

"Hey, love. Go back to sleep. I'm sorry for waking you." Darren sat on his side of the bed and started taking his shoes off.

Elsa gave a light laugh. "Darren, you know I'm a light sleeper. No matter what, you would have woken me. It's not the end of the world."

Darren leaned over to kiss Elsa on the forehead. "I know, baby. But I just think you should get some extra rest."

"I've been resting almost the whole day except a short walk I took around the palace. And don't worry, Anna was with me the whole time." Elsa reassured Darren. Anna had taken Elsa on a short walk around the palace after Joey had calmed down.

After slipping on his pajamas, Darren laid down on the bed. Elsa was extremely calm tonight. She looked so at peace and her hair glistened in the moonlight.

_She's stunning._

Darren kissed Elsa on the cheek then moved his head onto her stomach, listening for any movement from the baby. There was a tiny kick. Darren and Elsa laughed.

"I guess it knows its daddy's home," Elsa joked.

Darren smiled and kissed Elsa's stomach. "Hey, I'm gonna be your dad." He laid a gentle hand on her belly.

_I'll love you forever, my little angel._

* * *

**Hey, guys! So yeah I felt bad about leaving you guys with such a short chapter yesterday. So enjoy this extra long chapter (and by that, I mean longer than usual)! Things are starting to get interesting, no? (no like seriously I'm asking because I have no idea what I'm doing) I'm actually looking forward to posting the next chapter, which might be sooner than you think *wink*.**

**-Rootastic**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey, guys. So I did have a little trouble writing out this chapter. It just got really tough to continue. That's why it's kind of short. Enjoy. And I hope it breaks your heart ;) Oh, and for your listening pleasure: watch?v=0kYc55bXJFI**

* * *

Blood. Blood everywhere. The doctor and nurses fought hard to keep Elsa alive.

"Come on, Elsa! One last push!" the doctor urged.

Elsa let out a blood curdling scream. It was over now. After nine months, she would finally be able to meet her baby.

"It's a boy!" one of the nurses proclaimed. However, soon all the nurses and the doctor huddled together, discussing something. Something wasn't right. Elsa's breathing was labored and she was utterly exhausted.

_Crying. Why isn't he crying? Why don't I hear crying? Newborns are supposed to do that, right?_

That was the last thought Elsa had before blackness engulfed her world.

* * *

"_Elsa?"_

"Elsa?"

"Elsa!"

"Elsa!"

Elsa slowly opened her eyes, only to have the brightness of the sun blinding her. Once her eyes adjusted, she saw Anna's face.

"A-Anna?" Elsa looked into her sister's eyes. Anna was crying.

"Elsa! I was so scared!" Anna hugged Elsa as tightly as she could. But there was a sharp pain in Elsa's stomach. Elsa winced in pain and let out a whimper.

"W-what happened? Where's Darren? Where's my baby?" Elsa questioned.

Anna sniffled and looked down at the ground. "Elsa… The baby… He was stillborn… He didn't make it. I'm so sorry, Elsa."

"_What?_" All of a sudden it made sense. The nurses and doctor huddling up, discussing something, the baby not making a sound, the difficulty of the delivery.

"Elsa, I-"

"_No._ No. NO!" Elsa was screaming at the top of her lungs by now. Anna ducked her head, strongly affected by her sister's pain.

"Elsa, I'm so sorry… These things happen… I… I'll get Darren." Anna ran out of the room, wiping away the tears from her face.

* * *

"Elsa!" Darren came running into the room.

Elsa's face was expressionless.

"Elsa…" Darren sat by the bed.

"Why did this happen?" Elsa said in a voice so small, Darren had to strain to hear her.

Darren held her hand. Elsa broke down. Tears were streaming down her face. She threw her fist against Darren's chest. Darren was strong enough to handle the beating. It barely hurt him, anyway.

"Why did I lose him? He was right there! He was right there and I lost him! I lost my baby!" Elsa was hysterical at this point. She continued beating Darren's chest.

"Els… Please, don't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault." Darren tried calming Elsa down first.

"Why?" Elsa continued.

"You tell me why I lost him!" She kept demanding an answer until she herself couldn't take it anymore. Her head dropped and she buried her face in her hands. Darren turned away. The sight of Elsa like this was just too much, even for him.

"Please, Elsa. Don't do this to yourself." Darren's voice faltered. Too long he tried to be strong but he couldn't take it anymore.

"I want my baby!" Elsa cried. Elsa looked up and saw tears on Darren's face. She clung onto him and started to bawl. Darren buried his face into her shoulder and started to cry as well, though his cries were silent.

* * *

The burial was one of the darkest days the palace had seen since Anna and Elsa's parents died. Elsa and Darren didn't talk to each other the whole day. They were silent. It wasn't the uncomfortable kind of silence, but rather a companionship silence. Elsa went into the library, where she usually found escape. Meanwhile, Darren walked around the palace, imagining what it would have been like if their child had lived. He envisioned his son taking his first steps in the main room, saying his first words in the kitchen, running around in the room with the big grandfather clock, sliding on the wood floors…

_I'll love you forever, my little angel._

It was too much for Darren. He headed into the bedroom. Sitting on the bed, he looked out the window.

_Why did this happen to us? What have we done to deserve this?_

He searched his mind for answers. Anything. Nothing. In a state of pure frustration, he slammed his fist on the bed post and broke into tears.

* * *

**Yeah... Sorry this chapter is so short, too. But I really didn't think it was a good idea for the sadness to ensue. Before you all start a riot, just know that I had been planning on this chapter for a while. Don't worry, it gets better from here. Kinda. I know, I know. I'm a horrible person. I'm sorry. K goodnight!**

**- Rootastic**


	10. Chapter 10

Darren rolled over. He stared at the clock in the room. The clock had been a wedding gift, though he couldn't remember from whom since practically everyone in the town gave the royal couple a gift. A custom in Arendelle. The clock's little hand was on the 6 and the big hand was on the 4. 6:20 AM. He didn't have to get up until 7, but he decided it was useless falling back to sleep. Darren got ready while Elsa was still peacefully sleeping. Over the course of the last month, things between Elsa and him were quiet. They talked to each other, of course. However, conversations that used to be full of hope and talks of giggles, tiny toes, and button noses were replaced by business affairs and royal obligations. Darren kissed Elsa goodbye before he left.

* * *

There was a knock.

"Darren?!" a stoutly woman answered the door to a quaint house.

"Hi, ma," Darren answered as he walked in the house. He had been at sea for two days.

"What are you doing here? Where's Elsa? Does she know you're here? You haven't written in a while, is everything alright?" Darren's mother questioned.

"I just needed to get away for a while." Darren sat on the couch and buried his face in his hands, ignoring the last three questions. He looked absolutely exhausted.

"Felicia! Who is it?" A voice yelled from upstairs.

"It's Darren, Bruno! He's come home!" The plump woman yelled back. Footsteps were heard coming down the stairs.

"Son! You're home!" A tall, burly man with dark brown hair stood in front of Darren. He grinned brightly before giving Darren a great big bear hug. His face was aged, but still looked considerably young for a 60 year old man. His face was well-chiseled, though there were some wrinkles and a little roll of fat under his chin from inevitable aging. Darren was almost the spitting image (and younger version) of his father besides the jet black hair, as no one in his family had black hair like his.

Darren laughed heartily. "Hi, pop," he addressed the man.

"What brings you back home?" The man's tone suddenly turned serious for the next question. "You're not having problems with Elsa, are you? Your mother has certainly told me a lot about this woman. Darren, I hope you're treating her right. Nilson men do not disrespect women. We do not tolerate it, understand?"

Darren rubbed his hand on the back of his neck, a habit of his when he felt uncomfortable or nervous. He knew how much honor meant to his family. He never liked his father's interrogations, though. "Pop, everything is fine. I just…. Need a break. A lot has happened in the last month." Darren sat back down again.

The burly man sat down next to Darren and put an arm around his son's shoulder. "What's bugging you, son? We haven't heard from you in a while," the man said softly. The rotund woman decided it was best to go into the kitchen and leave the men to talk for a while.

Darren was silent for a while. Then once he started speaking, the words came flooding out. "We lost the baby, dad. He was a stillborn. He was so tiny… I… I don't know what to do anymore. Elsa is so hard on herself. I don't know how to help. I don't even know how to comfort my own wife anymore. What kind of husband am I?" Darren continued beating himself up. "This is all my fault…. If I just… Had some control over myself. I… Elsa wouldn't… We wouldn't have to…" Suddenly, all of Darren's pent up anger came out and he slammed his fists on the table in frustration. The room's air rippled around the two men and some furniture was moved around as a result. His father was silent.

"Darren, are you blaming yourself for getting Elsa pregnant?" the older male asked, waiting for confirmation. Darren nodded his head in defeat. Another moment of silent creeped in the room. "Did I ever tell you about the story of the shepherd and his mistress?"

Darren looked up. "I don't believe so."

Bruno raised a hand up to his chin and began rubbing his chin in contemplation. "There once was a modest town shepherd who believed he was happily married. However, his wife constantly put him down and never supported his dreams and aspirations. Being a man of honor, he was determined to keep a good relationship with his wife, no matter how hard it was at times. He never talked back and did everything she told him to do. One day, a beautiful young woman came to visit the village and caught the shepherd's eye. Though he found himself attracted to the young woman in more ways than one, he knew he had to stay devoted to his wife. The young woman also felt an attraction to the shepherd and they began seeing each other in secret. One night, the shepherd and his wife got into a huge fight and the shepherd stormed out of the house, sought out the young woman, and made love to her like there was no tomorrow."

Darren raised an eyebrow. "Father, what is the point of this story?"

The 60 year old raised a hand to silence the younger man. "Let me finish, son." The older man adjusted himself to a comfortable position and continued. "The young woman discovered she was pregnant and told the shepherd. Eventually, news travelled around the village and once the shepherd's wife found out about his adultery, she left him. The shepherd was hardly phased by this and made the young woman his mistress. The shepherd and his mistress lived happily as they awaited the arrival of their baby. However, the day never came, as the mistress had a miscarriage 5 months into the pregnancy. After this, the shepherd could barely even look his mistress in the eye. Heartbroken, the mistress left the shepherd and he was all alone."

Darren opened his mouth to articulate. "Pop, are you saying Elsa will leave me?"

Bruno gave out a frustrated sigh. Darren was a nice boy, but he wasn't always the brightest. "No, son. I'm saying that no matter what hardships you go through; never ignore your loved ones. Just stick with them. It's all worth it."

Darren sat in silence, deep in thought.

* * *

Two weeks had passed before Darren returned to Arendelle. Elsa had waited on the docks for him, awaiting his return. Once Darren set foot on the dock, Elsa ran toward him and the couple engaged in a loving embrace. The most contact they've had in two months.

"Welcome back, my king," Elsa murmured as she rested her head on Darren's chest, eyes closed.

Darren kissed the crown of Elsa's head. "It's good to be back," he stated. "Elsa…"

"Hmmm?" Elsa breathed out.

"I just… I want you to know that I'm here for you. And I love you. So much." Darren brushed loose strands of Elsa's hair away from her face.

Elsa pushed herself a way a bit so she could meet her eyes with Darren's. She saw nothing but pure sincerity. "I love you, too, Darren. You're my everything." With that, Elsa stood on her toes and kissed Darren on the lips. Darren leaned over a bit to help Elsa with the height issue and the two engaged in an intense game of lip lock. A throat was cleared in the background.

"Well, it's nice to see that you're home, Darren. But may I have a moment with my sister, please?" Anna jokingly commented.

"Oh, of course." Darren's face turned a light shade of pink and backed away.

Elsa headed toward her sister. "Anna, you were supposed to stay in the castle. You said you didn't feel well, remember? Go get some rest," Elsa ordered.

"About that… The doctor came over and…" Anna stalled for a moment.

Elsa's eyes reflected her sudden understanding. "Anna, are you… Again?"

Anna slowly nodded. A cheeky grin spread across her face. "Kristoff and I are having another baby!"

Elsa was genuinely happy for her sister. Yet, a part of her deep down was jealous.

_No, stop. Stop thinking about yourself. Anna has been nothing but kind to you. The least you could do is be supportive of her._

Elsa was so deep in her thoughts, she didn't notice a whole minute had passed before she said anything.

"Elsa? Are you ok?" Anna asked. Worry filled her voice.

Elsa shook her head. "No... I mean yes. I'm fine. I was just a bit surprised, that's all."

Anna giggled. "Well, we all were." Anna flashed a smile. Elsa couldn't help but smile at the redhead's goofy smile.

_She's so happy. I love it when she's happy._

Darren walked over. "Is everything alright?"

Elsa nodded. "Anna's expecting again."

Darren briefly surveyed Anna in disbelief. "Really?"

A smile tugged at Anna's face. "Yes!"

"Congratulations, Anna," Darren said with a gentle smile.

Elsa cleared her throat. "Well, that was exciting! Come on, let's all go inside and we can continue discussing this matter over dinner," Elsa spoke. Darren and Anna both agreed and the younger sister started walking toward the castle.

Darren placed a protective arm around Elsa. "Shall we?" The two walked behind Anna, marveling at her unending source of energy. Halfway there, Darren noticed Elsa was looking down at the ground. "Are you ok, Elsa?" Darren stopped, hoping to get an answer out of Elsa.

Elsa looked up. "Yes, I'm fine." And gave a convincing smile. Darren relaxed a bit and they continued walking. Darren looked calm on the outside, but he knew inside that Elsa was suffering. He decided to wait until she was ready to talk about it and silently apologized.

_I'm so sorry._

* * *

**Why, hello there! I'm sorry I haven't updated in about two weeks. I've been really busy and had to sort some things out. And it didn't help that I had a bad case of writer's block. This chapter wasn't really expected (except the last part). I was kind of just going off whatever came into my mind. Anyway, I know where I'll be going with the story next so expect more frequent updates (hopefully). My spring break's in two weeks so that's probably when the most updates will take place. Have a fantastic day!**

**- Rootastic**


	11. Chapter 11

"Mama! Mama!" Joey called. He was 2 years old now. Joey was speaking now, although his sentences weren't always fully formed. His hair had grown out quite a bit. Blonde. Just like Kristoff's. Despite his tiny body, his face was quite chubby, which was normal for a toddler. Anna tried to get to Joey as fast as she could for a woman who was eight months pregnant and ready to pop.

"I'm coming, Joe-Joe," Anna replied with a slight impatience in her voice. Joseph had been more clingy than usual after she told him about the responsibilities of being a big brother and how she and Kristoff would be spending some more time with the baby. The old "you're-going-to-be-an-older-sibling talk". Anna lifted Joey out of his crib and carried him to the rocking chair in his bedroom. Joey was given a new "big boy's" room, since the nursery would be for the new baby. Anna placed her hand on Joey's cheek and started running her hand through his hair, hoping to get him back to sleep. It was late and Anna wanted to get some shut-eye.

"Mama sing?" Joey requested. Anna figured it couldn't hurt. She thought of a tune she'd heard of before and started humming it before singing it softly to her son.

"For one so small, you seem so strong. My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm. This bond between us can't be broken. I will be here…" Joey drifted off to sleep before Anna finished her line. She gently set him in his crib and quietly snuck out of his room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Anna waddled into the bedroom. Kristoff was already asleep. Anna slid in the bed and drew the covers. After 20 minutes, she was finally able to sleep. Suddenly, Anna felt sharp pains at her sides.

_It's time._

"Kristoff! Kristoff!" Anna tried nudging Kristoff, but when he was out, he was out. Anna winced in pain and decided to try again. "KRISTOFF!" Anna hit Kristoff even harder this time.

"Huh? What? I'm awake!" Kristoff sat up immediately. "Anna, what's wrong?"

Anna breathed heavily. Both from being in pain and frustrated that it took every ounce of strength to wake up Kristoff. "It's time."

"Time? Wha- OH!" Kristoff finally understood. "We gotta get you to the delivery room!" Kristoff leaped off the bed and carried Anna to the delivery room.

* * *

"Kristoff! We came as fast as we could!" Elsa yelled across the hall, with Joey in her arms and the doctor right behind her. Darren was already waiting with Kristoff outside the delivery room.

"Elsa, thank you so much for getting the doctor," Kristoff thanked. The doctor acknowledged Kristoff and rushed into the room. Kristoff, Elsa, and Darren took a seat where they sat two years prior. Kristoff ran a hand through his hair. "The baby's a month early. Why does this keep happening?"

"Kristoff, Anna will be alright. She's a fighter. And if the baby's anything like its mother, it will be fine as well," Elsa coaxed. About eight hours passed before the doctor was seen again.

"Congratulations, Your Highness. It's a girl." The doctor swaddled the newborn in a pink blanket. Kristoff's eyes widened.

_A daughter…_

A huge grin came across his face. The doctor passed the baby to Kristoff. The baby started to fuss.

"Hey there, princess. Daddy's here," Kristoff whispered. He looked over at Joey, who was tugging at his pants. "Hey, bud. Meet your new sister." Kristoff bent down so blonde child could get a better look.

Joey wrinkled his nose. "Too late to send back?" Everyone in the hall burst into laughter. They would have to deal with Joseph's apathy later.

The doctor cleared his throat. "Would you like to see your wife?" Kristoff gave an enthusiastic nod.

"Elsa, would you mind?" Kristoff asked.

"Not at all," Elsa answered and held out her arms as Kristoff passed the baby to her.

"No want be big brudder," Joey said unenthusiastically.

Elsa giggled. "I have a feeling you'll warm up to her eventually." She gave Joey a hug with her free arm.

* * *

"Anna?" Kristoff whispered softly while stroking Anna's hair.

"Hey, Kristoff." A gentle smile tugged at Anna's face.

Kristoff sat next to Anna. "She's beautiful. Just like you." He kissed the top of Anna's head. Kristoff held Anna's hand and stayed with her for the rest of the night.

* * *

Elsa and Darren lay in the darkness of the bedroom. Although, neither could get any sleep.

Darren took the initiative to speak. "Elsa? Are you awake?"

Elsa rolled over. "Actually, I haven't slept at all."

Darren started stroking Elsa's hair. "I was thinking…"

"Hmmm?" Elsa said sleepily. Darren stroking her hair and his soothing voice was causing lull her to sleep. Darren inched closer to his wife and put an arm around her waist.

"It's been almost a year now. Maybe… Maybe it's time to try again," Darren confessed.

Elsa's eyes widened and turned over, pushing Darren away in the process.

"Els, I didn't mean now." Darren gave a half-hearted laugh, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

"It doesn't matter." Darren could see Elsa was hugging herself. A nervous habit of hers. Darren tried getting close to Elsa again.

Elsa raised a hand in objection. "_No_, Darren."

"Can we at least talk about this?" Darren pleaded.

"I don't feel like talking about this right now. Now, goodnight, Darren," Elsa said quickly. After what had happened a year before, Elsa disliked, no, loathed talking about having another child. She just couldn't bear the thought of losing another little life.

Darren rose his voice out of anger and frustration. "Then when are we going to talk about it? _When_? It's been almost a whole _year_, Elsa." Darren softened his voice. "Please, Elsa. Just talk to me. Tell me what is going on. I can't help you if you don't tell me anything. All I ever wanted to do was help… To take away all the pain. Don't you know how hard it is? How much it hurts when you don't even tell me anything? I'm your husband! Sometimes I don't even feel like that. I try… I really do… If there's anything I'm doing wrong, you have to tell me. Elsa, I love you. How many times do I have to tell you that? To show you? Before you truly trust me again?"

The last few words tore away at Elsa. She felt as though a hundred arrows were shot at her heart. She turned to face Darren. "I'm sorry." Elsa looked into Darren's eyes. "I never meant to shut you out."

Darren sighed. "No, I shouldn't have raised my voice like that." He kissed Elsa on the forehead.

Elsa let out a whimper and choked out, "You're too good to me."

Darren pulled away and stared into Elsa's icy blue eyes. "What? Elsa I-"

"Every day since our baby died, all I ever did was push you away. I…" Tears started streaming down Elsa's face.

"Hey, hey. It's ok. I was a little harsh on you with those words. I'm sorry." Darren kissed Elsa's cheek.

"It's just… It was all my fault. I was insufficient in even carrying him. I guess I wasn't fit to be a mother and that's why he's… Gone," Elsa confessed.

Darren held Elsa close to him. "It wasn't not your fault. I promise." Darren kissed the crown of Elsa's head. "If anyone is to blame, it's me. We both knew going into this that there could be complications in having kids, but I just couldn't wait and…" Darren trailed off.

Elsa looked up at Darren. "Don't blame yourself, either. There was nothing you could do about it."

Darren cupped a hand over Elsa's cheek. "And never blame yourself again, either. It wasn't your fault." Darren repeated. "Always remember that."

Elsa buried her head in Darren's chest. He always knew how to comfort her. She felt protected whenever she was around him. "Thank you. I love you so much." In the three years they'd known each other, this was the first time Elsa told Darren she loved him first.

Darren kissed Elsa gently on her head and closed his eyes in content. "I love you, too, Els. I love you, too."

* * *

**Whaaatttt? A little princess? Awww. Oh, look. It seems that I have forgotten to name the baby. How silly of me. I guess she'll need one of those, right? Well, I can't think of one at the moment and I'm open to suggestions *hint hint*. Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter! Looks like Elsa actually opened up a bit! Yay! Thanks for all the follows and favorites and comments and such. I really do appreciate them! You all are so encouraging, I love it! Are you looking forward to what happens next? Because I am! Mwa hahaha... *Ahem* So yeah I guess you'll have to wait and see. I'm gonna head off to bed now, so goodnight. And don't let the frostbite bite ;)**

**- Rootastic**


	12. Chapter 12

"So, what should we name her?" Kristoff asked.

"Well, I'm not quite sure." Anna pondered for a moment. She turned to Kristoff while gently bouncing the new addition to the family cradled in her arms, peacefully asleep. "Why don't you give her a name? I was the one who gave Joey his name, so I think you should name her." Anna smiled at Kristoff.

Kristoff rubbed his hand against his neck and looked unsure. "I don't know, Anna. You're really the brains of the operation, here." Kristoff laughed at his own joke.

"Come on, not one name pops up in your mind? Just try," Anna pressed. She put a hand on Kristoff's cheek. Kristoff was left slightly dazed by this motion. They'd been married for four years now and yet he was still left mystified by Anna's touch.

_I got lucky… This is what real life is. I'm married to the most caring and most beautiful woman out there. And now we have two kids. Two wonderful kids. If this happens to be a dream, please never wake me up._

A name came into Kristoff's head. "Hey, how about Alaine?"

Anna stroked her imaginary beard. "Hmmm… Alaine." A wide grin reached across her face. "I love it." She kissed Kristoff on the cheek. "How did you come up with that name?"

"I'm not sure. It just kind of came to me," Kristoff simply stated. Yet, he was hiding something. Anna was certain of it.

"Really? It just came to you? Just like that?" Anna snapped her fingers for effect.

Kristoff laughed nervously. "Yeah." He inched his way over to the door. "We better get to the dining hall if we want to make it to lunch."

Anna decided to drop the topic for now. It was useless trying, anyway. She knew Kristoff wouldn't talk about something he didn't want to talk about. She let out a sigh. "Alright." She tenderly laid the new princess in her crib. "Sweet dreams, Alaine," Anna whispered as she headed out of the room.

* * *

Lunchtime had been the most peaceful time of the day for the past few years, since both children took their naps around noon. They weren't fed until after their naps. Lunchtime was an opportunity for everyone to get caught up in what was happening with one another.

"How's the new baby? I haven't seen much of you in the past month," Elsa commented.

This was true, as for the last month, Anna and Kristoff were busy tending to both Joey and the new baby's needs. It was harder now that there were two children in the castle. Usually Anna and Kristoff would alternate spots between Joey and Alaine so both kids would get to see both parents throughout the day. Now that Joey was old enough to be running around, it was harder for Kristoff and Anna to keep up with him. It also didn't help that Alaine was not as easy of a baby as baby Joey was.

Anna let out a sigh. "She's fine. But I don't remember it being this hard when we had Joey."

Elsa let out a giggle. "Not all babies are the same, silly."

Anna blushed a little.

"So, have you given her a name yet?" Darren asked.

Kristoff cleared his throat. "Yes. Her name is Alaine." His face beamed with pride.

"Oh, that's a lovely name," Elsa said, slightly distracted. She was still thinking about what Darren had said to her the night before.

"_Maybe it's time to try again."_

Anna noticed Elsa wasn't as focused as usual. "Elsa, are you ok?"

* * *

Elsa was snapped out of her thoughts. "Y-yes, I'm alright. I just remembered I need to take care of some important business," Elsa stood up from where she was sitting. "Excuse me, I'm going to head to my office now." One of the palace servants came to collect Elsa's plate.

Darren looked down at the table. "Excuse me." Darren quickly ran out of the room, leaving Anna and Kristoff in the dining room alone and confused.

* * *

"Elsa!" Darren called out. Elsa didn't turn around. He decided to try again. "Elsa! Stop, please!"

A pained face came across Elsa. "Please, Darren. I just need some alone time right now."

Darren caught up with Elsa and brought her close to him. Elsa tried pulling away, but then she realized any sort of resistance was futile. Darren proceeded to shush Elsa softly. Elsa's whines turned into tiny sobs and she buried her head in his chest. Darren held her head and looked up to the ceiling. He disliked seeing Elsa unhappy. His heart ached for Elsa and for their lost child. The reality of it all had crashed on top of Darren and he was struggling to hold on and carry Elsa with him.

_Please give us the strength to get through this._ Darren silently prayed.

He looked down at Elsa, ignoring the fact that Elsa's tears were staining through his shirt. He tilted Elsa's head up with his hand and looked into her icy blue eyes. "You're not alone. I promise." Darren continued to hush Elsa and hold her close to him until she calmed down.

Elsa sniffled. "I have to take care of some things now."

Darren let Elsa go from his arms. "Of course. You know where to find me if you need anything."

Elsa kissed Darren on the cheek. "Always."

* * *

Elsa was swamped under all the paperwork that needed to be done. Stressed, Elsa rubbed her temples with both hands. Deciding that she needed to look at a calmer scenery, she turned around and peered out the window, watching the busy villagers walking about. There was a soft knock at the door, though this knock had no pattern like Anna's did.

"Auntie?" a small voice came through the door.

Elsa rose from her chair and hurried to the door. "Joey! What are you doing here?" The queen asked as she picked up her nephew, now three years old.

"Auntie Elsa pway?" Joey asked with a slight lisp. He had some difficulty pronouncing his l's unless it was saying Elsa's name, oddly enough.

"Aw, Joe-Joe, you know I'd love to, but I've just got so much work to do," Elsa said tenderly, swinging Joey softly on her hip. Children always brought out the motherly side of Elsa.

Joey sniffled. "Pwease? Mama and Papa too busy to pway wit me…" Joey pleaded.

Elsa felt her heart strings being tugged by this little blonde boy. After thinking about it, Elsa figured it couldn't hurt to take a little break. "Alright, Joseph. Let's go play."

"Yay!" Joey clapped.

"Hey, how about I teach you how to make a snowman? Does that sound nice?" Elsa lightly tapped Joey's nose with her finger in a playful manner.

"Yeah, yeah!" Joey giggled uncontrollably. Elsa proceeded to carry Joey to the ballroom. It was quite a symbolic room in the castle. It was, after all, where everything began.

* * *

**Sorry if this is kind of a weak chapter, guys. I've had a rough few weeks. But I'll be getting back on track soon, hopefully. It's spring break so maybe there will be more updates? Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter! Thanks to leanne97 for giving me the idea for the new baby's name! The next few chapters will get better. Y'all are so concerned about Elsa and Darren's future. It's so cute ^.^ Don't worry about it, it'll work out... Maybe. Ok byeee. See you next time, my lovelies 3**

**- Rootastic**


	13. Chapter 13

"_Kristoff?" a young woman called out into the wind. She had golden blonde hair that flowed down to her shoulders in waves._

"_Mama?" a frightened little blonde boy yelled through the woods. The wind was picking up speed as it started swirling around, creating a storm. _

"_Kristoff!" the woman kneeled down and opened her arms. The little boy's eyes widened and ran to his mother._

"_Mama!" the toddler squealed with content as he nuzzled against his mother's chest and listened to her comforting heartbeat. The reunion was short-lived, however, as the woman was dissipating into the air._

"_I love you, baby." The woman said as she drifted off in the storm._

"_No!" the blonde boy wailed. "Mama, come back!" the boy tried grabbing his mother's dress but that soon dissolved as well._

* * *

Kristoff's eyes flew open. His breathing was labored and he realized his face was covered in sweat.

The redhead beside him groaned. "Kristoff? Is everything alright?" she laid a comforting hand on his chest.

Kristoff put a hand on Anna's. "Yeah, I'm fine. Go back to sleep." He tenderly kissed Anna on the forehead.

Anna's eyes shot open and her voice was filled with worry. "Kristoff! You're all sweaty! Are you okay?" She sat up and cupped her hands around Kristoff's face. "This isn't normal! I'll go get the doctor!" Anna got out of bed and started heading for the door.

"No, Anna it's alright. Honest." Kristoff rubbed a hand over his head.

"You're not just saying that are you? I know you don't really like seeing the doctor, but this could be serious and I'm really worried, Kristoff. I mean beca-"

Kristoff laughed at ginger's rambling. "I'm fine. I just had a bad dream, that's all."

Anna slid back into bed and ran her hand through Kristoff's hair. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Maybe later. Right now I just want to go back to sleep. I've got a lot of ice deliveries to make tomorrow," Kristoff remarked and turned over.

"Kristoff, is there something you're not telling m-"

"Goodnight," Kristoff said.

"Goodnight," Anna grumbled.

_This isn't over yet, Kristoff Bjorgman. I will figure out what's bothering you if it's the last thing I do._

* * *

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELSA!" the ballroom boomed with everyone's voices. Everyone in Arendelle and a few others from the surrounding kingdoms were in the palace celebrating the queen's 24th birthday.

"Wonderful party, Queen Elsa," A short-haired young woman with brown hair exclaimed while curtseying.

"Rapunzel! It's so wonderful to see you!" Elsa proclaimed, pulling the brunette in a warm hug.

"My turn!" Anna practically squealed. She almost squeezed the life out of their cousin.

"Woah, woah, woah. Don't squeeze too hard. She is my wife, after all." A tall brunette man wearing a purple suit and a yellow sash came from behind. After saying this, he gave a little wink to the red-haired girl.

"Hi, Flynn!" Anna let go of Rapunzel and gave an excited low wave. Everyone knew of Flynn's real name, but it was only really used by Rapunzel. Parties always seemed to make Anna hyper. It didn't matter that she was a mother of two now. She was still her usual fun-loving energetic self.

"Arendelle women," Kristoff laughed. Darren laughed with him.

"Ha, you're not married to a woman from Corona," Flynn joked. This resulted in a punch in the arm from his wife.

"Eugene," Rapunzel chided. She shot him an annoyed look.

"Owww, I was kidding, Punzie," The man said. The short-haired woman proceeded to pull her spouse into a kiss.

"Get a room, man!" Kristoff yelled mockingly.

"Kristoff!" Anna reprimanded.

Elsa cleared her throat, bringing Rapunzel and Flynn back to Earth. "Well, thank you both for coming. It really means a lot."

Rapunzel put her hands in Elsa's. "We wouldn't miss your birthday for the world." The two cousins embraced.

Two servants came in the ballroom, each carrying a child in their arms.

"Mama! Mama!" Joseph called. Anna thanked the servants and took Joey in her arms while Kristoff took Alaine.

"Why, hello, Joseph. I've heard a lot about you," Rapunzel cooed. Joseph's shy nature led him to bury his face in his mother's shoulder.

"Don't be scared, Joe-Joe. This is Rapunzel. She's family. It's alright to talk to her," Anna coaxed.

Joseph turned and gave a quiet "hi" before shying away again.

Anna noticed that Joey had something in his hand. "What's that, Joey?" she questioned.

"Oh!" Joey's face lit up. The toddler started kicking, a signal that he wanted to be put down. Anna obliged.

Joey ran to Elsa and tugged on her dress. "Happy Birthday, Aunt Elsa!" Joey said with a bright smile. He stretched out his arm to give his aunt the present he made for her earlier that day. It was a paper snowflake.

Elsa felt her heart melt at the little boy's act of kindness. She kneeled down so she could meet Joey's eyes. "Thank you, Joe-Joe," Elsa said and gave Joseph a hug.

The party was a huge success. Everyone was having fun and for the first time in a long time, Elsa felt as if all the burdens she carried with her had been magically lifted away. Darren took note of Elsa's lightened mood and he decided that this was one of the happiest moments they've had in a while. He was just glad that his queen was finally enjoying herself.

* * *

That night as Elsa and Darren settled themselves in bed, Elsa let out a sigh of content.

"Happy Birthday, my dear queen," Darren whispered into Elsa's neck.

Elsa giggled. "Thank you, my king." As if acting on impulse, Elsa wrapped her arms around Darren's neck, pulling him in to a kiss. Darren was happy to oblige. He cupped a hand around Elsa's cheek and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. As the night progressed, their kisses burned with passion, just waiting to be extinguished. But the couple had a whole night to do that.

* * *

**Whoop whoop! Finally got around to the chapter I've been wanting to do for a while now. Sorry it's a little short. It's short because... Well, because I suck. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! Enjoy this point in the rollercoaster because, well... You'll see ;) So yeah I'm gonna go to pack now because I'm going on vacation for a few days. Byeee!**

**- Rootastic**


	14. Chapter 14

Anna's arms were crossed. Her facial expression was serious. Kristoff knew there was no getting out of it now. Anna was blockading the door. Kristoff figured there was no way to escape. "Kristoff, tell me what's been going on with you now. _Please."_

Kristoff groaned and rubbed the back of his neck. "Anna, I really don't think this is a good idea…" he trailed off.

Anna tried her best at an authoritative voice. She pointed a finger at his chest. "Kristoff. Explanation. Now."

Kristoff sighed. "Alright. You know how I've been waking up in the middle of the night lately?"

Anna raised an eyebrow. "Yeah…?"

"I've been having these dreams.. About… About my mom."

"Bulda?"

Kristoff hesitated. "No, I mean… My mom… From when I was a kid. Before I found the trolls."

The redhead's face fell. "Oh, Kristoff. I'm sorry, I-"

"It's ok," Kristoff cut in. "I always thought that my memory of her was suppressed, that's all. I tried so hard to forget," the blonde admitted.

Anna placed a hand on Kristoff's shoulder. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

The tall blonde man walked over to the bed and sat down. "I might as well. It's probably the only option now." He patted a spot next to him. Anna sat down next to her husband.

Kristoff ran a hand through his moppy hair. "I don't remember much about my mom; just little bits of memories remain. But I do remember she was warm and gentle…" Kristoff choked. "She was great. I loved her. She was my mom, after all. When I was little, it was just her, Sven, and me. I never really got to know my dad. He died in an ice harvesting accident."

"That's horrible. I'm so sorry," Anna commented.

"I didn't really know him anyway," the man shrugged off. "One night there was this really big blizzard and our cabin was really cold. My mom went out to get some firewood, and…" Kristoff stopped. The memory was starting to sting and was reflected in his eyes.

Anna rested a reassuring hand on Kristoff's. "It's ok. You don't have to finish if you don't want to. I understand."

Kristoff shook his head. "No, I've been hiding this from you and it was wrong of me. I want to get this off my chest."

Anna nodded. "Okay. I'm listening."

"I'm not sure how many hours passed but I was getting worried. She never took that long to gather firewood. So Sven and I went to go find her."

* * *

"_Mom? Mom!" A frightened little blonde boy cries. "Come on, Sven! She's gotta be here somewhere!" A pair of light brown eyes darts around the dark forest, desperately seeking for a familiar figure. _

_The two continue to search the forest. A silhouette of a woman appears in the distance._

"_MOM!" the little boy yells. The reindeer makes a sound in an effort to help his friend._

_The blonde boy runs toward the silhouette. It's his mother. _

"_Mom?" The boy hardly recognizes the woman. She's pale and looks frail. The woman's hand is placed over her stomach. _

"_K-Kristoff," the blonde woman stutters out. _

_Fear rises in the little boy's voice. "Mama?"_

_The woman falls and her hand leaves her midsection to catch her fall. A large bloodstain is revealed. _

_Young Kristoff's eyes widen. "Mama what happened? Come on! We gotta go home!" The boy's eyes well up with tears. He tries to pull his mother up. Sven helps. It's no use. The woman is too weak. _

"_I'm sorry, Kristoff. You have to leave without me. Can you be a brave boy?"_

_The boy has a hard time understanding but nods. "Yes, mama." _

_The woman uses the last bit of her strength to lift her son onto his companion reindeer. Snarls are heard from behind. The sounds are getting closer. "Sven, go! Run! Now!" _

_The reindeer obliges. The blonde-haired boy forces himself to look forward. Screams are heard in the background. Kristoff looks back. "MAMA! NO!" He warbles out. He had hoped to get a last glimpse of his mother. Instead, he sees a pack of wolves fighting for meat._

* * *

Anna was shocked. She wasn't sure how to react. _Come on, say something. Kristoff trusted you enough to tell this story and you can't even say one thing._

"I'm so sorry," Anna said. _Great thing to say, Anna. So comforting._

Kristoff sighed. "It's alright I guess. It was a long time ago."

Anna held Kristoff's hand and intertwined their fingers together. "I know I don't really understand the situation but I am really sorry to hear that, Kristoff. And hey, maybe now you won't get those dreams anymore. We'll get through this. I promise."

Kristoff gave an appreciative smile and kissed the ginger on the forehead. "Thanks. I love you."

The redhead smiled and placed a hand over the bulky man's cheek. "I love you, too." Anna quickly changed the subject when she realized what time it was. "We better go get the kids before breakfast is over." She hurried out the room.

Kristoff chuckled at his wife's spunk. _There's my cheerful princess._

* * *

Breakfast was going along as usual. Joey was on his morning rant on why he shouldn't have to pick up his own toys since he was a technically a prince and Alaine was eating her food with her hands. Elsa and Darren were holding hands under the table.

_Just another average day. _Anna thought to herself.

"Your majesty!" A guard came bursting through the door. His voice was panicked and his breathing was labored. It was something urgent.

Elsa rose from her seat. "What is it?" she asked calmly.

"T-The Kingdom of Crede… It's under attack!"

Darren rose. His voice was filled with worry. "_What?_"

The guard continued. "Weasletown and The Southern Isles have combined their troops and are taking out Crede. They want revenge. Your majesty, what do we do?"

Darren and Elsa exchanged looks.

The queen cleared her throat. "Gather up the troops. We're going to defend Crede. Send a letter to the King and Queen of Crede and tell them our best men are on their way."

"I'm going, too." Darren stepped forward.

Elsa placed a hand on Darren's chest. "No, you don't have to go." There was a certain pleading in her tone.

Darren looked down at Elsa. "I want to. Crede is my home. I want to help defend my people." Elsa gave a worried look. Darren kissed Elsa on the head. "I'll be alright. My father taught me a thing or two about warfare and combat. I'll be home before you know it. You just stay here and keep doing what you always do." the dark-haired man gave a reassuring smile.

Elsa nodded. She faced the guard and gave out the order. "Prepare the troops. We're going to war."

* * *

**Hey, sorry for my long absence. Life has been pretty hectic lately. Bear with me, guys. My schedule probably won't even out until late May or so. I will try to keep up with updates. Thanks for being so patient!**

**- Rootastic**


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